Speaker Spotlight - Joshua Bleill
Marine Corporal, Indianapolis Colts Community Spokesperson
Marine Corporal Josh Bleill is a native of Greenfield, Indiana. Raised by a father who has worked in the Indianapolis Public School System for 30 years, and by a mother who worked for many years with the Red Cross, Josh holds a special place in his heart for education and service to others. Josh attended high school in Greenfield, before studying at Purdue University. After his personal education concluded, Josh decided to serve his country by joining the United States Marine Corps in 2004, and was activated for a tour of duty in Iraq in 2006.
While serving in Iraq, Corporal Bleill was severely injured, resulting in the loss of both of his legs. After extensive rehabilitation, Bleill returned to Indiana in August of 2008, where he attacked his new life head-on. This new life included the marriage to his wife, Nikki, birth of Josh and Nikki's first child, Ali, and employment as the Indianapolis Colts Community Spokesperson. As the Colts Community Spokesperson, Bleill speaks yearly to over 200 schools, churches, and organizations about tackling adversity while maintaining a positive attitude.
Indianapolis Colts Owner, Jim Irsay, has described Bleill as "very talented, bright-eyed, and skilled." Further, Irsay stated, "Josh had one of the toughest roads of all in recovering and finding a way to live his life to the fullest. I know he's going to touch many lives for us." One of Bleill's more recent duties as a member of the Colts organization was to co-author a book, One Step At A Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage, Hope, and a New Life in the NFL, which further details Josh's unique and inspiring story. Bleill claims, "life begins when we embrace our bad days and keep going forward, one step at a time."